News

This year’s Midwest Basketball Tournament was by far the largest ever with over 400 teens and young adults from across the Midwest gathering together in Canton, Ohio. 16 churches sent a total of 30 teams that competed in 3 divisions: junior (12-15), senior (15-18) and young adult (19-26). On Friday night, the participants gathered for the Midwest Teen SOYO delegates meeting and for a lively discussion led by guest speaker Alex Younes from Toronto, Canada. The topic of his discussion was ‘A New Commandment.’

After Morning Prayers on Saturday morning the teams embarked from the hotel to 4 different basketball gyms where they competed throughout the morning and afternoon. Following Great Vespers, the Awards Banquet and Hafli was held with over 500 in attendance. A Farewell Brunch was held after Sunday Divine Liturgy and the participants departed for their homes with no doubt a few more friends than they had when they arrived. A special thank you to all the volunteers from St. George in Canton who take pride in hosting this annual tournament and to all the participants who journeyed from 7 different states to be with us on this special weekend.

Don’t forget about the upcoming Midwest Parish Life Conference from June 15-19 in Cleveland, Ohio! Visit www.stgeorgecleveland.com for more information. We hope to see everyone in attendance!

Ft. Lauderdale - The Orthodox Christian Network is excited to offer a new travel blog that will take you to the Holy Land for Lent, Holy Week, Pascha and Bright Week. Join host Justin Daniel as he visits Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Nazareth and many other sites. The blog will feature not only descriptions of important sites and services, but also testimonies of Orthodox Christians currently living in or worshiping at the locations.

Services attended will include Betrayal of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane at the Russian Convent in Gethsemane; Crucifixion Service and Descent from Cross Service at Golgotha; Service of the Holy Light/Fire @ the Holy Sepulcher; and visiting the authentic site of Christ's Baptism on the Jordan during Bright Week. The blog is entitled "Lenten Journey through the Holy Land" and can be found by going to www.myocn.net and clicking on “Blog” or by visiting here.

The time has come to expand on the Taste & See cookbook and we’re looking for recipes to be included in the new cookbook!

The original cookbook, Taste & See: American Orthodox Cooking was published in 1999 by the Women of St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, Tennessee. A couple thousand copies were sold, raising more than $8000 for the Antiochian Women's Orphanage Fund. It has become a favorite cookbook of Orthodox cooks all over America.

Now in 2011, three of the original cookbook committee members, along with several other contributors, attend a mission parish in Murfreesboro, Tennessee started by St. Ignatius Church. Founded in 2005, St. Elizabeth Orthodox Christian Church ( http://www.stelizabethtn.org/) is the only Orthodox Church in Rutherford County, just outside Nashville and one of the largest and fastest-growing counties in the southeast. The mission has outgrown its current rented space and needs its own building to continue to grow. The Women of St. Ignatius have given the Women of St. Elizabeth their permission and blessing to revive the Taste & See project with a sequel cookbook to raise money for the mission's building fund.

Baltimore, MD (IOCC) — International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) has been in contact with the Holy Autonomous Orthodox Church in Japan and our ACT Alliance partners to assess the emerging needs following the massive earthquake and tsunami which devastated north eastern Japan on March 11. IOCC is also reaching out to the Metropolis of Korea which is also the Exarchate for Japan under the Ecumenical Patriarchate. As the Orthodox Church in Japan works to assess the needs of survivors, it reports that one priest in Tohoku, Japan is missing.

"Most of the church buildings in Tohoku parish along the Pacific coast are severely damaged and one priest is missing," reports Fr. Demitrios Tanaka of the Holy Autonomous Orthodox Church in Japan. "However, we confirmed that the clergy of Sendai Orthodox Church, including Bishop Seraphim, are safe."

Given that most of the communications infrastructure was damaged, the Orthodox Church of Japan is still assessing the safety and exact needs of parishioners in the affected areas.

Real Saint Patrick's Day is a program of Orthodox Christian Fellowship aimed at bringing the focus of St. Patrick's day back to St. Patrick and away from the traditional excessive partying that typically takes place. St. Patrick was a slave in Ireland who escaped and later returned as a bishop to teach the people of Ireland about the true faith.

Chapters should do all that they can to use St. Patrick as an example to learn, teach, and serve others. OCF is providing some approaches your chapter can take, based on the life of the Saint, to dedicate the day to prayer, serving and learning. These suggested activities would encourage your OCF and possibly those on your campus to spend the day in more appropriate pursuits given the celebration of a Saint's feast and being in the midst of Great Lent.

We are not attempting to "be better" than our fellow students or show them "how to really live". We are hoping to provide an alternative to our Orthodox students for their own journey--and if by their simple choices to not participate in certain activities affects someone else--then glory be to God!

Please email Irene Papas (irp6@pitt.edu) or Pete Simko (GreatLakesRep@gmail.com) with any questions or concerns about your Real St. Patrick's Day, and God bless you and your chapter on your Lenten journey.

The Mission of St. Ignatius of Antioch is based on Florida Atlantic University (FAU) on Glades Road in Boca Raton, Florida. FAU is a University which boasts over 28,000 students. St. Ignatius Boca at FAU may be the first Antiochian Orthodox Christian ministry ever established to serve upon a college campus in the history of this great Archdiocese. This Orthodox mission maintains unlimited growth potential where the hope is “to bring America home to Orthodoxy!”

Vigen GuroianAntiochian Village announces a "Weed and Feed Weekend" with guest speaker and author Vigen Guroian, April 29-May 1, during Bright Week.

Bring your gardening gloves, tools, and friends for a great weekend getaway that promises to feed your body and soul while you provide much needed help sprucing up our gardens. It's a $50 PER PERSON WEEKEND PACKAGE which includes 5 meals, 2 nights of lodging, speaker sessions, a day of gardening work, liturgical services, and great fellowship!

Baltimore, MD (IOCC) — As survivors begin to piece back their lives in the New Zealand city of Christchurch following a 6.3 magnitude quake that struck on February 22, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of New Zealand has initiated efforts to provide assistance to those who have lost homes and places of work. The death toll in Christchurch stands at 148, but authorities expect it to rise to near 200.

International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is working to support relief efforts personally led by His Eminence Archbishop Amfilochios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of New Zealand and Exarch of Oceania who visited Christchurch just days after the initial quake to assess the damage and the needs of the people. Emergency supplies such as water, blankets, food and other essential items are being provided for families affected by the earthquake.

The IOCC response is being coordinated through the Chancellor of the Archdiocese in New Zealand, Fr. Christodoulos Papadeas, who previously served at Brotherhood of St. George in Denver, Colo. Also providing support is Fr. Amphilochios Basiltiotellis of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary parish in Christchurch.

Fr. Paul Patitsas, who previously served parishes in Rocky River, Ohio and Albuquerque, New Mexico, is part of IOCC's Emergency Response Network and is working with IOCC directly to manage the response. The "Frontline" as the network is known, is made up of Orthodox clergy and laity volunteers who are trained and experienced in emergency response.

Chesterton, IN —Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, professor emeritus in Eastern Orthodox studies at Oxford University and Bishop of Diokleia, visited North Park University in Chicago last week as a guest lecturer. The Metropolitan presented “Word and Silence in the Philokalia” and “What Can Eastern Orthodox and Evangelicals Learn From Each Other” in the 2011 Kermit Zarley Lecture Series. The Bible and Theology Department at North Park hosts the annual lecture series.

Ancient Faith Radio was present to record both lectures which can be found the Specials section on the website. In addition, as a special edition of “The Illumined Heart” John Maddex, president and CEO of Conciliar Media Ministries, sat down for a private in-depth interview with His Eminence called “Metropolitan Kallistos Ware on the Record.”

This past week the Chairman of the Assembly of Bishops, Archbishop Demetrios, sent out a formal notification to all the member bishops for the next plenary session of the Assembly. The first meeting was held in New York; this meeting will be held in Chicago, and will convene on May 25-27, 2011. The Chairman encouraged each committee to begin its work, with the hope of having at least one meeting (via telephone, video conference, or in person) before the Assembly. It is also expected that time will be made available in Chicago for committees to meet, to allow them to prepare their reports to the Assembly. Read the full announcement on the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops website.

Recently, Mother Alexandra was interviewed by Come Receive the Light about her pilgrimage to Syria and Lebanon. That interview, which also includes thoughts on monasticism and the spiritual life, is now available.

Kouria Cynthia Scott died of cancer at age 68 at her home in Wainfleet on Saturday, February 26. She is survived by her husband of 44 years, Fr. David Scott, pastor of St. Ignatius Mission, St. Catherine's, Ontario; by her son Raymond of Mindemoya and daughter Sarah MacGregor of Barrie; by her grandchildren William, James and Marjorie Scott, and Megan and Alexander MacGregor; by her sisters Joyce Ireland of Ottawa and Joan Patten of Wellesley Hills, MA; and by other nieces, nephews and cousins.

Cynthia taught English at North Toronto Collegiate, Noranda High, Sudbury Ecole Secondaire, and St. Catharines Grantham High, and Special Education at Eden High School. She received a Volunteer Recognition award from the City of St. Catharines in 2004. She was a Member of St. Ignatius of Antioch Orthodox Church in St. Catharines.

MEMORY ETERNAL! Your prayers are requested for the repose of Archimandrite Elias (Morcos) who reposed on February 23rd, 2011. Father Elias - founder, retired abbot, and spiritual father of the Monastery of the Holy Greatmartyr George in the village of Deir el-Harf, Lebanon - was one of a mere handful of persons who inaugurated the renaissance of authentic monasticism throughout the Patriarchate of Antioch beginning in the 1940s.

Father Elias translated into Arabic many books on the spiritual life, including The Ladder of St John Climacos, The Triads of St. Gregory Palamas, and The Fundamentals of the Spiritual Life, and he authored several soul-profiting works such as Christian Worship, In Order to Understand the Liturgy and to Live It, and Thoughts on the Bible, and others.

Teen SOYO of the Diocese of Miami and the Southeast has launched a new web site, www.miamisoyo.com. The new site features listings of projects and events, picture gelleries, a blog, resources for the Bible Bowl and Oratorical Festivals and more!

The Orthodox Christian Network (OCN) recently featured several Antiochian priests in a new installment in their "Special Moments In Orthodoxy" podcast series. "What is Western Rite Orthodoxy and where did it come from?" asks OCN's website. "To learn more please join Fr. Chris and Emmy for this episode of Special Moments in Orthodoxy as they welcome Archpriest Fr. Paul Schneirla, Vicar-General of the Western Rite in the Antiochian Archdiocese, and Fr. Michael Keiser, author of The Children of the Promise: Introduction to Western Rite Orthodoxy to the program, as they will discuss the differences and similarities between Western Rite Orthodoxy and Eastern Orthodoxy." The full episode is available here.

MEMORY ETERNAL! Benny R. Homsey, 91 of St. Elijah Church in Oklahoma City, OK, a senior honorary member of the Archdiocesan Board of Trustees, reposed this past Sunday, February 20th. Trisagion Prayers of Mercy were held on the evening of February 22nd. The Funeral is scheduled for February 23rd. Condolences may be sent to his wife Dolores and the Homsey family c/o stelijah@stelijahokc.com. May he be granted Paradise, and may you be granted long life.

Thanks so much for participating in the 2011 Ancient Faith Radio (AFR) listener survey. We had a record number of respondents and learned so much about who you are and how you use our radio station. For example, we discovered that a sizable portion of our listening audience (11.1%) is comprised of Orthodox inquirers. We learned that most of you (52.4%) listen to AFR for our podcasts, and that in addition to our beloved daily features—The Path, Saint of the Day, and Coffee Cup Commentaries—the most popular of these programs are Speaking the Truth in Love, The Illumined Heart, At the Intersection of East and West, Frederica Here and Now, and The Names of Jesus. And we discovered that most of you (56.1%) initially heard about the station from either a friend or a search engine. Here are a few of the other things we learned (top answers only):

Department of Marriage and Parish Family Ministries Director Kh. Maggie Hock encourages couples to enjoy a weekend away at Antiochian Village on February 18-20, attending the retreat "Crowned with Glory and Honor." Retreat leaders Fr. Don and Kh. Maggie have been married for thirty-eight years, have five children and six grandchildren, and will be focusing on romance, expectations in the marriage relationship, and building intimacy. Participants will fellowship with other Orthodox couples and learn more about the Church's teaching about the ingredients of a healthy marriage. Go here for information and to register.

[SVOTS Communications/Yonkers, NY] Besides its annual offering of an Iconography Workshop and the Diaconal Liturgical Practicum, St. Vladimir’s Seminary is adding to its June 2011 summer programs two specialized workshops: one addressing Internet pornography and one examining missiology. Additionally, it will host a major conference, “Women Disciples of the Lord,” which is open to women and men. The seminary invites participants to explore all of its upcoming summer programs:

June 7-8: Missiology and Evangelism Workshop: outreach to people of African heritage and Spanish-speaking cultures; led by Fr. Moses Berry of St. Louis, Missouri, and Fr. Antonio Perdomo of Pharr, Texas.

June 9-11: Workshop on Internet Pornography and Chastity: a dual focus workshop for pastors, youth ministers, and educators, concerning 1) pastoral counseling for adults with Internet pornography problems; and 2) chastity for youth and young adults; led by Dr. Albert Rossi.

June 17-19: Women Disciples of the Lord: an exploration of the potential ministries of Orthodox Christian women within the home, the parish, the workplace, and society to build up Christ’s Church. Co-coordinators, Tanya Penkrat, tpenkrat@svots.edu, and Dr. Peter C. Bouteneff, pcb@svots.edu, are inviting feedback to help shape the conference.

This symposium will examine some of the people and movements that contributed to the growth of Orthodox Christianity in 20th century America. We will pay special attention to the role of missionaries, immigration and conversion, the emergence of Orthodox theological scholarship in English, and Orthodox engagement in American civic and political life.

Interested scholars and members of the Society for Orthodox Christian History in the Americas (SOCHA) are invited to submit abstracts of papers related to the symposium’s theme(s), which will also be considered for publication in the symposium’s proceedings. Abstracts should be submitted via e-mail to Fr. Oliver Herbel no later than June 1, 2011. All abstracts will be reviewed by a committee comprised of leadership from the symposium’s co-sponsors.

The event is co-sponsored by the Society for Orthodox Christian History in the Americas (SOCHA), the School of Christian Vocation and Mission at Princeton Theological Seminary, and the Fr. Georges Florovsky Orthodox Christian Theological Society at Princeton University.

“…And we may know the depth of the valley only when we look at it from the peak of the mountain.”

-Metropolitan Philip Saliba

Currently the Department of Planning and Development is focusing on the Holy Mountain of the Antiochian Village. Examples of projects in need of support at the Village include an infirmary, the Convent of St. Thekla, the Cultural Center, church expansion, an arts and crafts building and sponsorship for needy children and college students.

We are striving to accomplish the dreams of Metropolitan Philip and his visions of the growing needs of our North American Archdiocese. More than ever, we need to build and protect our future, to ensure our children’s ability to express their faith and live a spiritual life.

The handmaiden of God Shamseh Dalack departed this life in the early hours of the morning of February 3, 2011 following a prolonged illness. Shamseh was a Dame Commander of the Order of St. Ignatius and was one of the founding officers of Antiochian Women, as well as the wife of Archdiocesan Trustee Dr. John Dalack and mother of Dr. Gregory Dalack and Khouriya Laila Ellias of St. Mary Church in Brooklyn, NY.

May her memory be eternal!

The viewing will be held at McLaughlin's Funeral Home on Third Avenue and 97th Street in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY from 2-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. on Sunday Feb. 6, 2011. The funeral will be at 10:00 AM on Monday Feb. 7, 2011 at St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church located at 192 81st Street in Brooklyn, NY.

Application forms for volunteer coaches at the 2011 NAC SOYO Special Olympics are now available. Members of Teen SOYO between 16 and 19 years of age may apply to serve as coaches at this year’s camp. The Special Olympics will be held from August 12-20, 2011 at Antiochian Village. The deadline for completed application forms is April 1, 2011.

YONKERS, NY [SVOTS] -- Tickets to the English-language US premier of the St. Matthew Passion-- a concert of sacred music by His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion [Alfeyev], renowned Russian Orthodox composer and churchman -- are on sale on the web site of St. Vladimir's Seminary HERE.

The performance will be held at the Church of Saint Paul the Apostle, 405 West 59th Street, New York, NY at 7:30 p.m. on February 7, 2011. Proceeds from ticket sales will be used to benefit the seminary.

Performers include the Salomé Chamber Orchestra; famed soloists soprano Mary Mackenzie, mezzo-soprano Ana Mihanovic, tenor Blake Friedman, and bass Aaron Theno; and the New York Virtuoso Singers prepared by Harold Rosenbaum. The principal baritone part of the "Evangelist" will be sung by Protodeacon Vadim Gan. As a prelude to the season of Great Lent, the composition will convey the Gospel account -- using scriptural texts interspersed with texts of the liturgical services of the Orthodox Church that are normally sung during Holy Week --in the forms of music recitative, choruses, fugues, and arias. Additional details may be found on the OCA web site.

The composer, Metropolitan Hilarion, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department of External Church Relations and a member of the seminary’s Board of Trustees, will be present at the premiere.

Further information may be obtained by contacting events@svots.edu or 914-961-8313 X323.